The present invention pertains generally to devices facilitating the insertion of bullets into magazines of firearms.
The loading of bullets into a magazine entails the progressive compression of the magazine spring. Initial loading may be accomplished without substantial manual effort while the latter stages of loading, by reason of increased spring resistance, presents a problem. Typically the bullet being loaded into the magazine is held by its nose and the base of the bullet used to depress the previously loaded bullet. Accordingly both substantial downward and inward pressure must be exerted on the bullet being loaded as it is slid into the clip or magazine. In addition to the manual dexterity required, a degree of finger strength is necessary. Still further, the unaided loading of magazines is a tedious, time consuming task which consumes costly time when accomplished at a busy firing range.
In the prior art are devices to assist loading of magazines, one such device being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,371 wherein a base is clamped to the upper end of the magazine whereafter a lever of the device rocks into engagement with and is used to depress the previously loaded bullet. Another device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,855 has a bullet engaging plate and an elongate base movable along the forward edge of the magazine. A spring biased pin engages an opening in the magazine front wall to hold the device against the action of the magazine spring. Such a device requires considerable effort to use with repeated engagement and disengagement from the magazine. Still other clip loading devices serve to temporarily attach to the magazine with a hook component of the device holding a slidable magazine button fully depressed. As the bullets are loaded, they fall freely into the magazine with the risk of coming to rest askew in the magazine. Examples of these devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,464,855; 4,488,371 and 2,514,277.